The Life In The Dead Man
by SisAngel
Summary: Brennan's life is threatened. Booth's life is taken. Is the promise he made to protect her worthless now? Or will he defy the odds and save her once again?
1. Misfortune Cookies

Special Agent Seeley Booth held the yellow crime scene tape up so that his partner, Doctor Temperance Brennan, could walk under it.

"One body was found, but no one else sustained more than a concussion or some cuts and burns." he said as they walked together to the mostly burnt book store.

Brennan was dressed in her usual crime scene get-up of dark blue cover-alls with the seal of the Jeffersonian Institution on the back. Underneath, however, she wore a white tank-top that hugged her curves exquisitely and blue jeans that matched the denim jacket she had left in Booth's car along with her black ankle-boots. A small turquoise stone hung from her neck by a string of small, dark-grey beads. Her brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun, the strays, and the small turquoise beads that hung from her ears, blew gently in the light breeze. She looked intense and serious, as she usually did at a crime scene.

Booth, however, looked relaxed in his form-hugging, dark-blue jeans. His black, button-up dress shirt lay taunt over his chest muscles and under a shoulder gun holster. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbow and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, giving just a glimpse of his strong chest. The hem flipped up occasionally in the breeze, giving attention to the "Cocky" belt buckle he was quite fond of that was on his dark-brown leather belt.

It was a shame that such a pleasant Saturday was ruined by the horror of a book store bombing. The early afternoon sun was shining, but it didn't lighten the expression of shock that was worn by the victims of the blast. They were scattered across the area that was taped off, being treated for cuts and slight burns by fire-fighters and EMTs.

"When did the bomb go off?" she asked, taking his hand for balance to walk through and step over the massive amount of rubble.

He followed her through the debris, helping her keep on her feet, "About an hour ago, they just finished putting the fire out." his answer made her stop in her tracks.

"What's wrong, Bones?" he asked, using the nickname he gave her just after they met.

"Nothing," she started walking again.

He shrugged it off, figuring she would tell him if it were important enough.

"Here it is." Booth pointed to the burnt skeleton, "This is supposed to be the book signing area." he motioned around them, "It's also ground-zero."

This made her freeze in shock again, but she was able to shake herself out of it before he noticed.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw something on the ground and picked it up, smiling, "Look, Bones, it's your book!"

As a chill headed up her spine, she faked a smile for him then got to work on the remains.

"Female, Caucasian, 25 to 35." Brennan held the detached skull in her hands, "There's not much more that I can tell you until we get back to the lab."

She bagged, tagged and packed everything she felt necessary, then carefully put the bones into the body bag beside her. When she was finished, she stood and let some lab interns take the body and the evidence to the transport truck which would soon be on its way to the Jeffersonian. Brennan was silent as she and Booth walked out of the rubble.

"Are you okay?" he asked, holding the tape up for her again, "You seem deeper in thought than normal."

"I just have something on my mind." she replied as they went to the back of his black SUV. He opened the hatch and she sat her kit inside the trunk.

"If you need to talk, you know I'm here." he smiled comfortingly.

"I know, Booth, and I appreciate that," she said, removing her cover-alls and black hiking boots and putting them inside as well, "but I don't think it's important." She sat in the trunk and put on her ankle-boots then stood. He helped her with her jacket then closed the hatch and said "Important or not, it's always good to talk."

They climbed into the SUV and pulled out into the D.C. traffic.

"So, do you want to get a late lunch first, or go strait to work and eat something later?" he asked.

She pondered his question for a moment and as they stopped at a red light, an idea struck them both at the same time. They looked at each other with smiles and said in unison, "Chinese in my/your office."

With that and a laugh from both of them, she called and placed the pickup order. Thai food was their favorite, aside from their usuals of pie, fries and a salad at the Royal Diner, but sometimes the need for change came around, and this was one of those times. Soon they were stopped in front of Wong Foo's and Booth went in to get the food. He walked right up to the bar and was greeted by the familiar face of Sid, the bartender.

"Hey, Booth." he greeted his regular customer.

"Hey, Sid. I've got a pickup order in Bone's name."

"Got it right here." he handed Booth the large box full of eight containers, "How is she?"

"She's great. I'll tell her you said hi." Booth dug the money out of his wallet and handed it to Sid.

Thanks to his training as a sniper, Booth could easily sense someone was staring at him and turned around to see a man that was mopping the floor. He was staring at Booth with what looked to be disgust. He was about an inch shorter than the agent, with brown hair and green eyes. His face never changed from an angry look, even when he looked back at the floor and continued to mop.

"New guy?" Booth asked.

"Yeah, he just started today. He's a little creepy, but seems harmless." whispered Sid.

"Yeah, just a little creepy." Booth said sarcastically, taking the box under his arm.

Giving a nod goodbye to Sid as he pushed through the front door and headed to the SUV. The mopper's vicious stare followed Booth as he put the food in the back seat and then got behind the wheel. That's when he saw her, Brennan, sitting in the passenger seat. He looked at her with rage in his eyes as he gripped the mop handle so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"He knows Dr. Temperance Brennan? The author?" he asked Sid. Though already knowing the obvious answer, he wanted a way to get information about them without sounding suspicious.

"Yeah, they get dinner here sometimes. They seem close, but Booth claims that they're not together. I don't believe it." he replied with a small laugh, causing the mopper to squeeze the mop handle tighter.

********

Sitting on the black couch in her office with the food on the coffee table in front of them, they started talking about random subjects and soon the stress she felt melted away with the laughter and the sight of his contagious smile. In an hour's time they finished the meal, save for their fortune cookies. Booth handed one to Brennan and picked up the other for himself.

"Okay, time to see into the future." he smiled as he took his cookie out of the plastic wrap.

"These are so ridiculous and have no relevance. There is no way to tell the future." she smiled "So why do I enjoy it so much?"

He laughed at her rhetorical question as they broke their cookies at the same time. Booth read his note and his smile suddenly melted into a frown and his eyes were became filled with heroic concern, "Bones, please tell me your fortune says something different than mine."

Brennan read hers and a feeling of fear made her stomach drop.

"Temperance Brennan will be dead within 24 hours." she said with a catch in her throat.


	2. Faith Defined

He looked up at her. As she looked at the little piece of paper, her pale blue eyes showed the fear she had, but the instant they locked with his brown eyes, no matter how much concern he showed, she felt not fear, but calmness and security. She knew she was safe. She knew for a fact that nothing could touch her when he was near. He was over-protective of her, which most of the time got on her nerves, but she knew how lucky she was to have him in her life as a partner and friend.

"DOCTOR BRENNAN!" Doctor Jack Hodgens, yelled from the main area of the Medico-Legal lab, making Brennan and Booth hurry out of her office and up the steps of the forensic platform, swiping their I.D. cards on the way up, closely followed by Doctor Cam Saroyan and Angela Montenegro.

"What's wrong, Hodgens?" Brennan asked, out of breath from the startle.

"I was taking dirt samples from the body and when I was finished I turned out the light and saw this." he stepped aside to let Booth and Brennan see the book store victim, "Either this guy likes to point out the obvious, or you had better get about three more Booths."

Brennan stepped forward and looked at the body, Booth stepping up behind her and looking over her shoulder at the glowing letters across the sternum of the skulless body that spelt "Bones".

"As much as I resent that comment," Booth shot Hodgens a dirty look, "he's right, Bones." he looked back at her, "Someone is trying to kill you."

"Again." added Hodgens, now receiving dirty looks from both of them, "I took a swab of it and I'm about to run it to see what it is."

"Hodgens," she caught him before he walked away, "in my office are two cookie fortunes. While you run that, I want you to see who, other than Booth and myself, have handled them."

"You got it, Dr. B." he said as he started towards her office.

Angela followed him off the platform, headed to her office, "I'll go finish the ID."

Brennan pulled her hair up into a ponytail with a rubber-band that she fished out of her jeans pocket, then donned a pair of latex gloves and proceeded to examine the body, as did Cam, while Booth hung back and waited for them to start spouting off the things they noticed about the body.

"There's burnt skin still on the body, but with the lack of blood on the tissue, I think it's safe to say that the victim was burned post mortem." said Cam as she took some blood and tissue samples, "I'll go run a tox-screen, among other things." she walked away with the samples.

"He probably made sure she was unidentifiable so she would come here to you, but why would she be at the book store?" Booth said to Brennan and she turned around to face him. He was looking at her with his strong, but worry-filled eyes.

"Booth, I had just left the book store approximately five minutes before that bomb went off. I had been where the body was found."

"What?" his eyes widened.

"I think that he put my nickname on the body so I would know that he intends for me to be one of the bodies that grace these tables."

"Why didn't you tell me you were there?" an angry tone took over his voice, but she knew it was purely concern.

"It was a last minute engagement. Even with ground zero being where I was, I didn't think it was meant for me. And as un-nerving as it was to know that I could be lying on one of these tables had I not left when I did, I didn't think it was relevant until now." she motioned her hand towards the bones.

"Why didn't you tell me anyway?" he stepped forward.

"Without any evidence of my theory, I had no reason to tell you."

"You should always tell me if something doesn't seem right." he said, "How else can I protect you?"

The corner of her mouth curled up slightly at the reminder that he was her protector.

"Guys, I have something." Angela said from across the lab.

They walked into her office and crowded around her computer.

"I put a face on Jane Doe." she turned around in her swivel desk chair and held up a black and white sketch of a young woman. "I'm running her through missing persons."

"You don't need to. That's my publicist's assistant, Kayla Berrellous."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry." Angela said sympathetically.

"I didn't know her that well. She wasn't supposed to be there," Angela's computer dinged and showed Kayla's photo and information on the missing persons database, "because she's been missing since my last book signing a week ago."

Booth and Angela silently gasped as they took in the sight of a Temperance Brennan look-alike on the screen. Her jaw-line was a little more square and harsh than Temperance's, but her hair was the same shade and her blue eyes were just as piercing. Her skin was pale and fragile looking, like you could cut her with a feather.

"Didn't it freak you out that she looked so much like you?" asked Angela.

"I don't see a resemblance." she answered.

"You don't see that?" Booth pointed photo displayed on the screen.

"I suppose her bone structure is similar to mine, but her features are much more prominent."

"This is more of a threat than we thought." said Booth, running his hands through his hair.

Suddenly Hodgens came in.

"Karri's Prints." he said, "The fortunes were printed on a printer that came from Karri's Prints."

"How can you be so sure?" asked Booth.

"Come with me." he smiled and walked out of the door way and to his work area as Brennan and Booth followed close behind.

"Every printer has a signature. They're like snowflakes, no two are alike." he started as they followed.

"Get on with it, bug man, even I know that and we don't have much time." Booth interrupted.

"This one is hilariously unique," Hodgens smiled, magnifying the text on the little piece of paper and bringing the image up on the large monitor.

Above the 'T' in 'Temperance', "Karri's Prints' was written so small that it could barely be seen by the naked eye.

"Wow, that is unique." said Booth with a nod.

"Also, the stuff used to write on the bone was simple glow-in-the-dark paint." said Hodgens.

"Funny you should mention that." Angela approached them, "I just did a search for the place. It closed down five years ago when the owner, Karri Arkay was murdered by her husband, Randall Arkay. The place was the only print shop in the D.C. area that you could get something printed in glow-in-the-dark paint. The old building is still there on East and Pine. It hasn't been touched since they closed."

"Is my lady amazing or what?" Hodgens smiled at his fiance` who smiled back.

"Where is Randall Arkay?" asked Booth.

"As far as I know right now, he should be in prison, but I'm searching for more information on both of them." she answered.

"Okay, I'll be back. Hopefully with a lead." Booth started off the platform and Brennan followed. He turned around just as she was coming off the last step, "Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"I'm coming with you," she said as if it were obvious.

"No, you're not." he waved his index finger in front of her face, "Someone is trying to kill you."

"Exactly why I'm coming too. I'll be safer with you." she flashed him a smile.

It wasn't fair to use her safety against him to get what she wanted. Clever, but certainly not fair.

He sighed a "Fine." then turned and walked out through the main doors with her right beside him, headed to the SUV.

********

She silently stared out the passenger side window as they drove along. He glanced over at her as often as he could while still driving safely. He knew that look. It was the look she had every time she got lost in thought while trying to figure something out. And he was right, she was.

She couldn't understand how or why she wasn't more afraid. Brennan knew fear. She knew all too well what it felt like. All those times she was in danger, she was afraid, so why not now? When she first read the threatening note, and just thinking about it now made her stomach drop and her chest hurt, but when she looked over at Booth in the driver's seat, the tension eased and the pain went away, just like it had earlier in her office. Then she realized. Every time she was in danger, he came for her. When she saw him, that meant she was no longer in danger. The threat was gone and there was nothing left to fear. He dug her out of the ground, pulled her out of a burning car, saved her from being beaten to death and fed to dogs, and when she sees him now, she doesn't feel afraid at all. She knows he'll never let anything happen to her.

"Are you okay, Bones?" he poked her shoulder gently, "You're being kind of quiet."

"I'm fine. I was just thinking and noticed that in past dangerous situations, there has been one constant."

"What's that?"

"Your protection of me." she said simply and he glanced at her with curious eyes, "And because of those times, I know that no matter what happens in the future to put my life in danger, you will be there to stop it from happening."

"Of course I will, Bones. I'll protect you no matter what." he smiled, "I promise."

"There's no need to promise, I already know it to be a fact." she nodded slightly.

"I promise anyway." he said, still smiling.

After a silent moment, he realized "You have faith in me." he grinned even bigger than before.

"What? No. Faith is a belief that is not based on proof. I have proof that I can count on you."

"There's more than one definition for faith. One is 'confidence or trust in a person or thing'. That's what you have." he smiled brighter, "That's faith." he said as they pulled up to a small single story building, the front of which was a large window with a stainless-steel frame around the main entrance. All lights inside were turned out and it was obvious that the place had been deserted for some time. The sign that stood along the road was cracked and pieces of it were missing, but you could still see that it read "Karri's Prints". They exited the SUV and walked up to the door and Booth gave it a sturdy tug. It opened without difficulty and he held it wide to let Brennan walk in and he followed her inside. They walked slowly through the store, dodging desks, printers, copiers and fax machines.

"We'll need a team to transport all of these machines to the Jeffersonian," she said, kneeling down to pick something up off the ground.

"I already called, they'll be here soon." he knelt down beside her, "What's that?"

"It looks like a piece of black wire. Probably from one of these machines." she answered.

Upon hearing a crash they instantly stood and saw a shadowed figure emerge from the door marked 'Office'. In one quick motion Booth drew his gun and had it aimed at the stranger, yelling "FBI, freeze!"

The figure pulled a gun and shot towards them in one swift move. Booth tackled Brennan to the ground then shot at the man over the desk they dove behind.

"Are you okay, Bones?" Booth glanced at her then looked back up towards the man who was now ducked behind a desk as well.

She rubbed her left elbow that she had landed on when tackled, "He didn't shoot me, if that's what you mean," she said in a voice that told him she had been startled by the suddenness of their situation.

The shadow came up from behind a desk and shot at them as he made his way to the back door. Booth ducked as the shots were fired, blindly shooting over the desk in hopes that he would at least graze the mystery gunman. They heard the back door swing open and hit the wall. Peering over the desk, Booth saw the suspect outside the door, jumping a fence that divided the alley.

"Stay here." he told Brennan as he got up and ran for the door before she could protest being left behind. Without any trouble he followed the suspect's path over the fence which stood about five and a half feet tall.

Brennan glanced down under the desk she was behind, gasping at the sight of a bomb with glowing numbers that read '00:00:06'.

Looking up, she saw Booth jump the fence before she could say his name.

The runner went around a building a few yards away and Booth ran as fast as he could to catch up with him. As Booth turned the corner, now just feet away from the suspect at hand, he heard an explosion come from behind him. His head jerked around to see that the building that he was just in, that Brennan was still in, was engulfed in flames that stretched stories into the sky.

His stomach clenched, "Bones," he breathed, "NO!" starting towards the building, the adrenaline allowed him to leap the fence with more ease than before.


	3. Take Care

"BONES!" he called, running towards the embers that burst out of the building. He didn't care that if he went in there, he may not come out. All he cared about was getting to her, if she was even still alive.

"Booth!" he heard a familiar, shaking voice that sounded small against the sounds of the flames crackling and the building collapsing. His head snapped around to see Brennan standing against the fence, un-harmed, with her arms crossed as if she were cold. Suddenly he could breathe again as he moved swiftly over to her, "Bones, are you alright?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her without warning.

"Booth..." she started to protest the personal contact.

"I told you I'd hug you if I needed one." he said, holding her tight.

Remembering when he had said that, back when they 'guy hugged' for the first time, she put her arms around him, laying her head against his warm chest. She could hear the fast paced thumping of his heart. After a moment they pulled apart and looked at each other.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked her.

"I'm fine, Booth. A little shaken up, but I got out okay." Brennan answered as they started for his car. When they reached his SUV he took the CB radio and called in the explosion, requesting that anything that was not destroyed be taken to the Jeffersonian. Brennan could tell that part of Booth was angry as they got into the front seats. She had never been good at reading people, but by now she could read her partner pretty well, and he was definitely angry. Angry at himself for nearly getting her killed by telling her to stay in the store. Angry that the suspect, his partner's attempted murderer, got away. Angry that "We lost most of the evidence." he finally said, smacking the steering wheel, "I'm sorry, Bones, I'm not mad at you." he said quickly, realizing the way he sounded, "I'm glad that you got out of there safely. I would choose you over evidence any day."

"Not all of the evidence was destroyed," smiled Brennan, "I ran out of the building when I saw the bomb, but was able to save this." she pulled an evidence bag out of her jacket pocket and held it up.

Booth looked at the black wire Brennan had found, sitting inside the bag and laughed "Good job, Bones!"

"Obviously we may not be able to compare it to the machines from the store, but perhaps there are fingerprints on it or something else we may be able to use."

********

They walked into the Medico-Legal lab side by side.

"Bren, Booth!" Angela called from the door-way to her office, waving them in then retreating into the room.

Brennan handed the bag that held the piece of wire to Hodgens as he walked past them, "Check for fingerprints and also run it against the fragments of wires from the bomb and machines from Karri's Prints once they get here if it's possible." she told him and he nodded in acknowledgement. Booth put his hand on the small of Brennan's back to guide her towards Angela's office and a single chill ran up her spine, in a good way. She couldn't believe that she once hated this gesture, since now she hated when she couldn't have his hand there. Any day that she had to go without feeling his palm grace the small of her back - weekends, days they had been arguing more than usual, days when he was on leave because of his back or because he shot inanimate objects - she felt empty, like something was missing. They walked into Angela's office and surrounded her in front of her computer.

"So I found out some more about the Arkays. First off, I think you'd like to know that we have another Brennan-look-a-like." Angela typed a few keys and a picture of Karri Arkay came up next to the picture of Kayla Berrellous.

She did look like Brennan. Piercing blue eyes and soft brown hair. Even the bone structure and frame build were about the same. The only difference was that Brennan's features are stronger. Karri Arkay had a heart-shaped face and a slightly squared jaw-line. Booth's phone rang and he excused himself from the office to answer it.

"Her husband slash murderer, Randall Arkay broke out of prison two weeks ago." continued Angela, now pulling up a picture of the man. As the photo appeared, Brennan's eyes widened.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Angela asked her friend.

"I remember that case. It was just before Booth and I became partners. I found the evidence that convicted him." said Brennan.

"Whoa, that is creepy." the ladies turned to see Doctor Lance Sweets standing in the door way.

He walked over to them and looked at the monitor which displayed the photos of Randall Arkay's two victims and their murderer, then glanced at Brennan, then back to the screen, "With the fact that you look so much like his wife, I assume that to him, you being the one to convict him was like his wife getting back at him for her murder."

"But why did he kill Kayla Berrellous?" asked Angela.

"Perhaps he mistook her for Doctor Brennan." he answered with his best guess, "After all, it has been five years. Once he realized his mistake, he saw the opportunity to make this into a game. Something that he could get enjoyment out of."

Booth came back into the office, "That was Charlie. He said that none of the three people who worked at Karri's are still in town. He's trying to track them down now."

When he looked at the screen and saw the face of Randall Arkay, his eyes widened.

"Booth, what's wrong?" asked Brennan.

"That's the new guy at Wong Foo's who gave us those fortune cookies." he said, pointing to the screen.

"You're right, Booth, but how did he know we would be at Wong Foo's? We didn't even know until last minute." she finished as her phone began to ring and she answered, "Brennan."

"Maybe he's been stalking you since he broke out of prison." inputted Angela.

"Hello, Doctor Brennan." said the raspy voice on the phone.

"How did you get this number?" she asked and Booth, already knowing who Brennan was talking to, motioned for Angela to trace the call and she began typing as fast as she could.

"Why the threats? Why not just kill me without telling me?" she asked.

"They're more like promises. It makes my fun last longer." said the voice.

"You won't get away with it. We will find you." Brennan assured him.

"The ride is over." he hung up.

"I only narrowed it down to the inner D.C. area.

"What did he say?" asked Booth.

"He said that 'the ride is over'." Brennan stared him in the eye.

Booth walked to the door, turning to look at Brennan, "You stay here this time. I will not have you nearly blown up again."

"What?" squeaked Angela as Booth walked out of the office. Brennan just stood there and watched him walk away.

"Be careful, Booth!" she called out to him, and he looked over his shoulder at her with a smile as he went towards the main exit.

Her sight of Booth was obstructed by Hodgens when he stopped at the threshold of Angela's office, "The wire matched one from what was left of the bomb and what was left of the only two machines from the store that didn't get completely destroyed in the explosion." he said, "Also, I ran the finger prints through AFIS and it matched a guy named Randall Arkay."

"DNA matches Kayla Berrellous. Her family is being informed as we speak." said Cam, passing Hodgens to enter the room.

********

Booth drove through the small parking lot of the restraint and parked about fifteen feet or so from the door. He got out of the SUV and marched up to the door, busting through it and storming right up to the counter, holding his badge up to the line of people in front of the register who were complaining that he was cutting in line. Sid saw Booth and turned to face him, "What can I do for you, Booth?"

"Where's that new guy that was mopping the floor this afternoon?" Booth demanded.

"Randy? He just got off work ten minutes ago. Why? Did he do something?"

"Murder and attempted murder of Dr. Brennan." he answered as he walked around the counter and went into the back room to find it empty with the back door open. Booth drew his gun and ran out into the alley, looking in every direction to find some trace of Randall Arkay. There was a building that was parallel to the restraint and two ways out of the alley. One however was blocked by a supply truck at the moment, so Booth went left and exited the alley. He saw no one and nothing that could tell him if Randall had been there. He walked back into the restraint through the back door and told Sid to call the second that he laid eyes on Randall. He agreed and Booth left through the front, got into his SUV and pulled out his phone, dialing the first speed-dial.

"Brennan." she answered her phone.

"He wasn't there. Do you have anything at all?" he asked her as he started the car and joined the 6 O' clock traffic in the outside lane of Main Street.

"Yes, we have proof that Randall Arkay is the one trying to kill me. The wire we found at Karri's had his finger prints on it and it matched what was left of the bomb from the store."

"That'd be great if I knew where he was."

"We're working on that now."

"Okay," he heard a beep, "Bones, I'm getting another call, let me call you back." he switched calls, "Booth." he answered.

"Agent Booth, there is a bomb in your car. Once you reach 55 miles per hour, it will not explode if you stay there or above. However, if you go under 55 or turn on your siren, the bomb will go off instantly." a deep, raspy voice said then hung up.

Looking at the speedometer, he saw that he was already at 65mph and cursed himself for speeding, then noticed no stop lights up ahead.

He called Brennan back.

"He's not just targeting you, Bones, he put a bomb in my car." he said in a slightly panicked voice and heard her put her phone on speaker so everyone else could hear too, "Is there any way Angela can hack into whatever she has to to make sure every stop light on Main Street stays green?" he asked.

"I can try." said Angela, starting to type as fast as she could.

"She's trying now, Booth, just hold on." Brennan attempted to sound comforting through her fear.

Booth gripped the steering wheel with his left hand, holding his phone in his right. He watched as the light above the intersection two cross-streets ahead was turning yellow, "Ange, please tell me you can do this!"

"I'm trying, Booth, but it's not as easy as it sounds."

He approached the intersection before the one that was now red, "Bones, take me off speaker." he said, and she obliged.

"Okay, you're off speaker."

"Bones, listen to me. It's either I get blown up or I get crushed in the intersection and possibly take someone with me." he said, trying to sound calm for her, "I can't take a chance of killing someone else."

"Booth, no-"

"I've already made up my mind." he cut her off, "There is a chance I can get out of this, but if I don't..." he took in a deep breath, "...take care of yourself, Bones."

"Booth..." she said weakly, then heard what sounded like a crash, "Booth?" there was no reply, "BOOTH!" she cried, then after a moment walked back into the office with tears forming in her eyes.

"Just another minute..." said Angela, still typing.

"No-no need to." said Brennan in a low voice.

Everyone reacted differently, but with the same feeling of pain. Angela gasped with a hand over her mouth and Hodgens put his hands on her shoulder for comfort. Cam just stood there, leaning against Angela's desk and staring out into space.

Brennan sat down on a chair next to the door for only a moment, then quickly stood up and threw her phone to the ground in rage, startling everyone, "I need to work. No interruptions. I need to find out where this bastard is." she stormed out, wiping the singular tear from her flushed face. Every motion was full of anger. She pulled on her lab coat and roughly put on rubber gloves, nearly tearing them. Jogging up the steps of the platform, swiping her card on the way, she went strait to the body and started looking for anything she might have missed. She was going into the obsession mode that was usually used as a last resort.

"Why would he go after Booth too?" Cam asked no one in particular.

"He saw him as something that stood between him and his revenge." Sweets answered through a sniffle.


	4. Not Again

The red light now in front of him, Booth sharply turned the SUV to the right, going over the curb and into a park. He opened the driver's side door just as he heard Brennan say his name, then jumped from his seat and landed rolling on the ground as the car crashed into a tree. Dazed and out of breath, Booth sat up and watched as the car he was just in burst into flames. He couldn't hear very well due to the shock-wave of the explosion, but he saw the emergency lights coming down the street. When they reached him he was already standing on his own, beginning to be able to hear better and was putting his phone back together when the EMT came over to him, "Sir, we need to check you out, then you can call whoever you want." she said.

He pulled out his badge "I'm FBI, I need to call my partner to let her know I'm okay."

"Alright sir," she stepped back to give him his space to make his call.

All numbers had been erased from the phone, but he dialed Brennan's number from memory. It went strait to voicemail and he wished he could remember one of the squint's numbers, but his head was too clouded at the moment to come up with even Cam's.

"Bones, I'm okay. I'll be there soon." he recorded on the voicemail then hung up and hurried over to the police who had shown up on the scene.

"I need one of your cars." Booth said to one of the three cops that were standing around.

"Um, okay, agent Booth, but we're going to need it back." replied one of the officers who recognized him from a previous crime scene.

"No problem." he took the keys that the officer offered.

As he got into the police cruiser, his phone rang.

"Booth," he answered.

"I'm impressed that you survived. Annoyed, but impressed." said the raspy voice on the line.

"I'm not the kind to lay down and die." Booth replied with a scoff at the thought of letting himself be killed by an armature serial killer.

"I wonder what your new partner will think of that cocky attitude."

Cursing under his breath, he revved the engine and sped off towards the Jeffersonian, clicking the siren on, "I'm going to find you, Arkay. You won't get a chance to kill her." he growled.

"The package has been delivered, agent Booth." Arkay hung up.

He sped down the highway as fast as the cruiser would go. He dialed Brennan's number in hopes that he wasn't too late. It went to voicemail again and he hung up without leaving another message. He called again, and once more after that, both times with no answer. He was getting anxious now, and he still couldn't remember anyone's number besides Brennan's. The chances of him getting to her in time was low, but that didn't stop him from trying, and it didn't make him give up hope. Erratically driving through the streets of D.C. made his blood pump full of adrenaline. In less than half the time it usually took him, he was at the Institution. Stopping in front of the entrance, he exited the cruiser and ran as fast as he could through the automatic doors.

"Delivery, Doctor Brennan." said the Jeffersonian mail-room guy who's name right now wasn't important enough to Brennan to remember.

She nodded and waved him away, never taking her eyes off the body in front of her. He sat the decent sized, square package down on a table on the platform and walked away. Just a moment afterward, Brennan removed her gloves and angrily threw them into a bin. Full of frustration, she marched to her office, leaving the package behind. Closing the door behind her, cutting all sound from the lab, and leaning against the metal frame, she laid her head back and closed her eyes, tears rolling down her face.

"Bones!" the nickname only used by Booth caught the team's attentions and they were now all coming out of Angela's office where they had been attempting to brainstorm, looks of shock and happiness on their faces when they saw Booth walking through the entrance. Angela sighed in relief, "It's hard being friends with him. Constantly thinking he's dead is exhausting."

He saw the box up on the platform and remembered what Arkay had said. The package had been delivered and it was now sitting in the middle of explosive chemicals. "Evacuate, now! There's a bomb in the building!" he shouted for everyone in the room to hear. Alarms were suddenly sounded and every person in the building was in a mad dash for any exit. As his squint-squad passed him, Booth shouted over the alarms "Where's Bones?"

"In her office!" Angela called over her shoulder as Hodgens pulled her along.

The squints and Sweets had just gotten out and away from the doors when most of the windows in the building and the police cruiser parked outside the main doors, shattered with the explosion, sending glass raining down around the on-lookers. Angela buried her face into the crook of Hodgens neck and he put his arms around her.

"There's no way anyone could survive that." said an intern, making Angela sob into Hodgens' shirt. Hodgens and Cam both smacked the intern on either shoulder at the same time.

Brennan was startled by the alarms that were telling her to leave, but she didn't move for just a moment, the guilt of being the reason for Booth's death making her want to stay. When she turned around, though, her eyes met his and she gasped as if she had seen a ghost when he swung open the glass door.

"Bones, c'mon, we need to get out of here!"

"Booth-" the bomb exploded, sending her flying against the wall, knocking her unconscious, and Booth was pushed against her as the glass wall shattered, sending shards and flames flying at them. They fell to the ground in a heap, Booth on top of her, protecting their faces. Between the smoke, and the pressure of each other on their chests, neither of them could breathe easily. The entire lab, including her office, was covered in flames. "Bones, are you okay?" he quickly got off of her and looked at her lifeless body. He felt her pulse on her neck and instantly scooped her up into his arms. The black smoke that surrounded them made it hard to see and breathe, but he knew that he had to get her out before it was too late. Bravely walking through the flames, the smoke and chemicals of the lab filled their lungs, his faster than hers, causing him to cough deeply as he carried her to the nearest exit.

Outside, fire trucks, ambulances and police were starting to show up. The squints and their colleagues stood in horror as they watched the flames from the institution light up the night. All hope seemed to be burning away, until through the heavy smoke and fire that escaped the main entrance, a figure could be seen stepping through the frame of the now shattered glass door. Two people, one carrying the other in his arms.

"No way." whispered Hodgens, smiling and shaking Angela's shoulder, "Look!"

They all raised their mournfully bowed heads to see Brennan, nearly lifeless in Booth's arms.

"I need some help over here!" Booth shouted, walking out of the smoke so to be seen by the paramedics who rushed over to him with a stretcher. She began to wake now as he lay her on the gurney and the EMTs pulled it away from him before he could take her hand.

Dazed and confused that the last thing she saw before she blacked out was her dead partner, Brennan whispered his name.

"Booth?" she said again as loud as she could which wasn't a high volume, but apparently loud enough.

The team ran up to Booth, but as if they weren't even there, he sped right past them to catch up to Brennan, coughing heavily and feeling his chest tighten. He took one of her hands into both of his and smiled reassuringly, "Yeah, Bones, I'm here."

Her eyes widened at the sight of his smile. He wasn't a dream, he was real. She could feel his hands on hers. "I thought you were a ghost back in my office." she said weakly, squeezing his hands.

When they stopped in front of the back doors of the ambulance, she dizzily sat up and scooted to the edge of the gurney as his cough became heavier and more frequent. The EMTs gave them both an oxygen mask, but before he could put it on, he started coughing now just to be able to breathe.

"Booth, are you all right?" she placed her hand on his back and the EMTs stood alert.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he panted, "My chest just feels kind of tight."

"Booth, you need to lie down." she hopped off the stretcher to make room for him.

He began feeling a strong dizzy come over him as his coughed. He clenched his eyes shut and opened them, hoping that the dizzies would disappear, though they didn't. It was as if he had knocked the wind out of himself. He could take in a breath if he coughed.

Still blinking repetitively to try and stop the dizzy, he was barely able to respond through wheezy pants, "Something's wrong." he coughed into his hands, and Brennan gasped when she saw that his mouth was bloody and a single drop rolled down his chin.

Feeling something wet on his fingers, he looked down at his hands to see blood covering his palms. With wide, fearful eyes he held up his bloody hands for her to see and he dropped to his knees, no longer able to breath, then collapsed to the ground with a slightly blank expression.

"Booth!" she screamed as she knelt beside him and tried to hold him up.

The EMTs crowded around, pushing her aside, shouting medical terms that normally would make sense to her, but as she looked into Booth's eyes, it all sounded like gibberish.

"Stay with me, Booth." she said over the paramedic's shoulder.

They kept eye contact, both of them starting to tear up knowing what may be happening. An oxygen mask was placed over his mouth and nose.

He forced out "Bones..." she knelt back down and took the hand that he was attempting and failing to reach out to her, "...I don't want to -" he coughed in a breath.

"You'll be fine." she cut him off, knowing what he was about to say, but not wanting to hear the word.

"I'm sorry, Bones." he whispered and squeezed her hand as he gasped in one breath, releasing it as his emotional eyes went blank.

Suddenly, her heart stopped as well, "No..." her eyes widened when the EMT said those two, stomach twisting words 'I'm sorry' as he listened for a heartbeat with a stethoscope.

"No! Booth, please! C'mon, Booth!" she shook his shoulder, "C'mon...Booth...please." she whispered.

The paramedic closed Booth's lifeless eyes and removed the mask from his face.

Temperance put her hand on his warm cheek and her tears fell onto his shirt, "...please, not again."

In the group of squints, Angela was sobbing on Hodgens, who was tearing with his arms around his fiance`. Cam had her hand over her eyes to hide the tears that rolled down her face, and Sweets' eye's were more than a little damp as he stood there with his head bowed.


	5. Double Vision

The next two hours passed slowly. The fire was put out, glass and debris had been cleaned up and Booth's body was at the morgue by now. It took Angela nearly twenty minutes to get Temperance away from Booth. She wouldn't leave his side.

After catching her breath from crying on Hodgens and calming enough to speak and be understood, Angela walked over to Brennan and knelt down beside her. She put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sweetie, you need..." she gasped a sob, "...you need to let him go."

"No. No, Ange," she looked up at her with tears rolling down her face, "I can't."

"Yes, you can." she put a hand on her friend's hand and squeezed it, "You're not alone."

Angela sat there for fifteen minutes, weaning Brennan away from Booth's body while fighting off impatient M.E. She held her grieving friend as they loaded the sheet-covered body into the van and drove away to the F.B.I. morgue. She rocked Temperance gently as they sat there on the ground, shushing the way you do for a crying baby. Angela can be quite maternal at times, especially when it came to her friends.

As the clean-up crew did their job with the glass and the now windowless police cruiser Booth had driven there, Cam, Hodgens and Dr. Sweets all left for the Hoover building where the scientists could use the crime lab and Sweets could do some paperwork to keep himself busy since he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep anytime soon after what he had just witnessed. Angela decided to ride home with Brennan and the F.B.I. security detail which had been appointed to her by Deputy Director Cullen, Agents Takota and Dolby. Takota stayed posted just outside the entrance to the apartment building and Dolby was to be in the hallway outside her front door. Angela went inside with Brennan, who seemed to have cried herself out, because all she did was stare silently into space as she sat down on the couch.

"Do you want me to stay, sweetie?" Angela asked.

"I think I need to be alone right now, Ange." Brennan finally spoke, her voice horse and gravely.

"Okay," she kissed her friend's forehead, "call me the second you think you may possibly need me. No ifs, ands or buts."

Brennan nodded and Angela walked to the door, and as she reached for the door knob, heard Temperance say "Ange."

"Yeah, Bren?" she turned back to look at her.

"Thank you." she said.

Angela smiled then turned and left.

For a while Brennan just sat there on the couch, wishing he was there to lean against like he always had been before. She wished she could feel him take her into a 'guy hug'. Most of all she wished she could hear that nickname. She got up and walked into her bedroom and went strait to the nightstand where Brainy-Smurf and Jasper were sitting next to her alarm clock. She snatched them up in one hand and left the room, headed to the liquor cabinet and pulled out the scotch that she kept reserved for Booth, and only Booth. It was his favorite brand and choice proof. She sat the bottle and her figurine collection on the coffee table on her way to the stereo where she scanned her CD shelf, running her finger over each one and stopping on the album "Double Vision" by Foreigner. She took it off the shelf, removed the CD from the case and placed it into the stereo. Clicking a few buttons, she put the first track, "Hot Blooded" on repeat.

Hearing the song made her smile. "A guilty pleasure." she laughed with a tear in her eye.

It was the song they had danced around like fools to. Right now, she didn't feel the embarrassment that she usually felt when thinking about that moment. Right now she would give anything to have that moment back. Any moment with him for that matter. Not feeling much like dancing, Temperance retired to the couch, grabbed Jasper and Brainy-Smurf in one hand and the scotch in the other. She laid the figures on her knee, removed the cap to the scotch and took a large gulp strait from the bottle. Looking at the little toys in her lap, she started to feel a pain in her chest. She paused and stared at the bottle in her hand that was missing almost a quarter of it's contents.

Taking another swig, she capped the bottle and sat it on the table and pressed a button on a remote that sat next to her and the music stopped. Any more liquor and she wouldn't be worth anything in the morning and she had work to do helping to sort the unidentified remains from Limbo at the Jeffersonian. And any more of that song and she wouldn't be able to contain her tears. She leaned back into the couch and placed her hand over her eyes, fingers spread slightly. She wished so badly that he had never become so protective of her. He nearly died once saving her. He got so close, in fact, that he seamlessly faked his own death.

"Why didn't he learn the first time?" she asked the empty living room.

Then it hit her like a ton of bricks...

She used a stealth tip Booth had taught her to sneak past Agent Dolby who was posted outside her door. She cracked the door open and tossed a small, jingling key chain down the hall, and when the agent walked down the hall to investigate the strange sound, she slipped out the door and silently sped down the hall in the opposite direction. She wanted so badly to thank Booth for all of the tips. Even if it was just a few things, it was enough to complete this mission. After using the same trick to sneak past Agent Takota who was outside the complex, she got in her car, thankful she had been picked up that morning, and drove to the Hoover building.

Walking through the halls at a quick pase, Brennan saw her target, Doctor Sweets, walking up ahead, going in the same direction. He was the one who hadn't informed her that Booth had faked his death. She wanted, needed, to know if he was faking again. She couldn't take this, not knowing was killing her.

Upon catching up to Sweets, she grabbed his shoulder, forcefully turning him to face her, and pinned him against the nearest wall, obviously startling the young man.

"Is he dead?" she asked with pain in her voice and pure anger in her eyes.

His blood-shot eyes told he had been crying, "Doctor Brennan -?"

"Is Booth really dead?" she cut him off in a tone more stern and angry sounding than before.

He looked into her pale blue eyes that were now full of tears, and regretfully said "Yes."

She pushed him harder into the wall, "If you are doing another sick experiment, I swear I will -"

"Doctor Brennan..." he cut her off, "...he's gone."

At this point her bottom lip was beginning to quiver slightly and tears streamed freely down her face. She released him from the wall and turned to walk away but Sweets saying "Doctor Brennan," made her stop in her tracks, though she didn't bother to turn to face him, "if you need to talk, my door is always open. Not as your psychologist, but as your friend."

He watched her walk away, neither of them saying another word.

********

Brennan pulled into a parking spot outside her apartment building. She snuck back into her apartment the same way she snuck out, and once inside, took Brainy-Smurf and Jasper to the bedroom with her and sat them back on the redwood nightstand. She laid down across the width of her bed on top of the turquoise sheets and sighed deeply as her legs from the knee down dangled off the side of the bed. Before she knew it she was seduced by the calm that came after a long hard cry and started to doze off. Suddenly awoken by a cloth covering her nose and mouth. Her eyes sprung wide open to see the man she recognized as Randall Arkay, standing on the other side of the bed and looking down at her with a twinkle of hatred in his green eyes and a cocky smirk on his mouth. She tried desperately to pry his hand from her face, but with his free hand he pinned both of her wrists to the bed. Pulling her legs up, she caught his neck between her ankles and squeezed as hard as she could, causing him to drop the rag and release her wrists. She held on to his neck as long as she could until he pried her ankles apart. Flipping over and off the bed, getting to her feet, Brennan swung a punch at him and he took it in the eye. Realizing that the phone was ringing, she dashed for the phone on the nightstand but he grabbed her by the hair, pulling the fist-full of her brown waves back and her head with it. He wrapped her in a hostage-hold and she struggled against his tight grip. She kicked a coat rack over into the dresser, knocking various makeup, lotions and her jewelry box onto the floor. Holding her head back, he injected something into her neck, causing her to almost instantly go limp. As her phone started to ring again, he threw her over his shoulder like a cave-man, accidentally dropping the syringe, and carried her out of the bedroom. When passing the breakfast-bar that separated the kitchen from the living room, she glanced through double vision at the phone that was continuing to ring and for a moment thought that she saw "Booth" across the caller I.D. screen, but blacked out before questioning what she saw. He casually walked through her front door as if he wasn't doing anything wrong, and right past her unconscious protection detail.


	6. Adrenaline

Hodgens sat in silence at his temporary work station at the FBI crime lab. His head lied in his hands and his elbows rested on the table that he stared at with puffy, blood-shot eyes.

"Jack?" said Angela in a soft tone from the doorway that lead to the main halls that were outside the door.

Wiping his face with his hands and clearing his throat, he spun around in his small swivel chair, "Hey, Angie, do you think Doctor B. will be okay?"

"She was sitting quietly on the couch when I left her. She seemed as okay as I think she's going to get." she walked over to him and still sitting, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Looking up at her with love and concern in his large blue eyes, he asked "How about you?"

"I'm trying to think like Bren and compartmentalize, but it's proving to be harder than she makes it seem." she sighed, tangling her fingers in his tight, sandy-colored curls, "I'm really worried about her, Jack. I've never seen her like this. She taking this harder than I thought she would if it ever happened."

Standing, he said "She'll get though this. We all will." looking into her eyeliner-smudged eyes, "Just be there when she needs you and stay there when she tries to push you away."

She nodded with a single tear rolling down her flushed cheek. Putting his hands on her jaw-line, he kissed the tear, then kissed her lips. As they pulled away, there was a light knock on the door frame. They looked up to see Cam standing in the door way, holding a file in her hand.

"Kayla Berrellous was killed by an overdose of Chlorpromazine." she announced, "Anything specific about the dust found on that wire Brennan got from the print shop?"

"It's plaster dust," began Hodgens, "It's a blend that was used exclusively for apartment buildings that were built between 1980 and 1995. There's quite a list of contracting companies who used it, and each one of those companies have lists of structures that they used it on."

"Any way of narrowing that down any further?" asked Cam.

"Already did. I found traces of chalk in the plaster. The chalk is the signature for Regional Builders."

"Is there a way to find out what building?"

"Yes." Angela inputted.

"Get on it. None of us sleep until Brennan is safe and the bastard who killed Booth is back behind bars." Cam said in her boss voice.

"We don't have a problem with that." said Hodgens.

********

Several floors beneath the busy squints, deep in the morgue, the pathologist removed the sheet covering Booth's body and turned on the voice recorder that hung above the table.

"Doctor Dave Navvie. Case number 09017, Special Agent Seeley Booth." said the M.E. "Note that the body is unusually warm."

After some babbling about his exterior, he picked up the scalpel and just barely broke the skin on Booth's left shoulder. Blood instantly came from the gash and the Dr. Navvie dropped the scalpel and ran to a drawer where he pulled out a syringe that was already filled with some kind of liquid. Returning to Booth, he removed the cap from the needle and stabbed it into Booth's chest, injecting the liquid strait into his heart. His eyes shot open as he took in a large gasp. Removing the needle, the doctor called to his assistant to bring in a portable oxygen tank. A young man in white scrubs rushed in with a tank that had a mask attached to it by a long, clear tube. Navvie put the mask over Booth's nose and mouth as he continued to gasp short breaths.

"Agent Booth, I'm Doctor Dave Navvie. I'm a medical examiner for the FBI. You're in the morgue of the Hoover building." he explained.

Booth nodded in acknowledgement as his breathing began to steady, "What happened?" he asked through the oxygen mask.

"You died. At least we thought you were dead. Your heart beat and breathing must have been so faint it couldn't be heard, but was strong enough to keep you alive." answered Navvie, "When I started the Y incision, you began to bleed. I gave you a shot of Ophedrin, a synthetic Adrenaline, to kick-start everything."

Booth realized how he had "died" and quickly sat up, dropping the mask, then noticed his bare "manly area".

"Oh, shit -" he grabbed the sheet off of the vacant table next to his, "Where are my clothes?"

"You were dead, you didn't need them." the doctor laughed a little at Booth's modesty, "Go get Agent Booth's clothes, Robert." Navvie instructed the orderly as he retrieved the first aid kit and bandaged the bleeding cut on Booth's chest.

The incision wasn't deep enough to need stitches, but did need to be bandaged to stop the bleeding. Booth started to get off the table and Navvie tried to hold him down, despite the fact that Booth was twice his size, "Agent Booth, you need to rest. Your heart has been through a lot."

"Look, I need to get out of here. My partner is going to die if I don't get to her." Booth stared at the doctor, worry in his deep eyes, "Now let me go before I break you in half." he said with a calm but ferocious tone.

The orderly came in carrying the slightly charred, soot-covered clothes Booth had worn into the fire.

"Fine." Navvie stopped fighting with Booth and stepped back.

The orderly handed Booth his clothes, "Thanks," he said, then motioned for the door, "now can I get some privacy?"

After they both left, he pulled the phone out of the evidence bag he was given that also contained his wallet and keys to the police cruiser he had borrowed. While getting dressed, he dialed Brennan's cell. When there was no answer, he dialed her home number. Again, no answer. Now getting frustrated, he dressed as fast as he could and was out the door, heading upstairs to the main halls. Moving through the halls at a quickly, he passed a dark interrogation room and heard light sobbing on the other side of the door that had been left ajar. Peaking in, he saw Angela sitting on the floor in the corner of the room with her legs folded up, knees under her chin. 'Is she crying for me?' Booth thought to himself.

He poked his head into the room, followed by the rest of his body, "Angela?"

She looked up to see a body standing in the doorway. She couldn't quite make out his face in the shadows as the hallway light shined around him. He stepped closer to her and she caught sight of his face.

"Oh, my God." she stood in one motion, "Booth?"

"Yeah." he smiled sweetly.

"Oh my God!" her voice and eyes were full of tears as she threw her arms around his neck.

The door swung open to reveal Hodgens, looking down at a file, "Hey, Ange, do you -" the words flew from his mind when he looked up from the file to see Booth and Angela breaking their hug, "Dude..." his eyes and smile grew wide.

"Have either of you spoken to Bones recently?"

"I forced her to go home right after you..." she paused, "...you know..."

"Yeah, I know. How long ago was that?"

"It was about eight. It's eleven fifteen right now." Hodgens looked at his watch.

"Have you heard from her since then?" Booth glanced back and forth to each of them.

"Not me." said Hodgens.

"I just talked to Sweets and he said that she had just been to see him." Angela mentioned.

"Can you give me a ride to Bone's apartment?" he asked Hodgens, afraid of how small a car he would have to squeeze into.

"Of course." he said happily.

Cam turned the corner into the room and stopped in her tracks at the sight of Booth, standing there, alive and well. Her hands went limp and her paperwork fell to the floor, scattering across the gray carpet.

********

Hodgens and Booth pulled into the parking lot of Brennan's apartment building in a copper colored BMW. They stopped in front of the front entrance where Booth saw Agent Takota unconscious on the ground. Quickly getting out of the car he dashed over to Takota. After checking his pulse, he left Hodgens with the fallen Agent and went into the building, headed for the fifth floor. Outside her apartment, Agent Dolby was just coming to and saw Booth approaching from down the hall.

"What happened?" Booth crouched down next to the agent.

"Someone came up behind me and smothered me with a rag that smelt like Chloroform."

"Did you see a face?" he asked impatiently.

"I'm sorry, Booth." Dolby shook his head.

Booth drew his gun and kicked in Brennan's apartment door, pieces of wood and metal from the locks flying everywhere.

"Bones?" he called, the largeness of the living room and there only being a couch and a few book shelves making his voice echo through the apartment. The silence that followed gave him chills as he passed through the living room, looking into the kitchen on his way by the bar. Nothing was disturbed, but he could feel in his gut that something was wrong. From across the room he saw that her bedroom door was open and feared what he may find within the room. Coming to the doorway, he took in a breath and stepped in to find the sheets on the bed entangled with one another and the things that had once sat upon the dresser, now sprawled across the floor. She had fought back against her abductor, as he knew she would. After checking the attached bathroom, he noticed a syringe on the floor and pulled a tissue out of the box on the nightstand to pick it up with. He slipped his gun back into his shoulder holster on his way out the door.

Hodgens was waiting in the car when Booth came out. When he got in on the passenger side, Hodgens informed him that the two agents had been picked up and were fine.

Booth showed the syringe to Hodgens, "Find out what's in it. I don't care what it's called, I just want to know if it will kill her." then sat it in the empty ashtray that extended out of the dashboard.

With a nod, Jack started the car and they were on their way back to the Hoover building. Booth put his head in his hands to pray and Hodgens laid his hand on his friend's shoulder, "We'll find her. Don't worry."

Head still in his hands, Booth nodded.

********

Once back at the lab, Hodgens went strait to work on the syringe, demanding no interruptions and several agonizing moments later, his computer chimed.

"It won't kill her." said Hodgens, "It's Chlorpromazine that was in the syringe."

"Don't make me ask." Booth said, quickly loosing his patience.

"It's what you get before a surgery to calm your nerves. Unless she was overdosed like Kayla Berrellous, she's still alive." Cam approached Booth and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The last apartment that the Arkays lived in was the one Randall killed Karri in." Angela chimed in with her own findings, "It was built by Regional Builders. It wasn't completely destroyed, but it was abandoned and now scheduled to be demolished next week."

"Where is it?" Booth asked.

"Cherry street and 3rd."

Booth started to walk away but turned around to see Hodgens coming with him.

"Thanks for the ride earlier, but the search and rescue I do alone. No one else is going to be put in danger if I can help it." he said and held out his hand, "Keys."

"Fine," Hodgens tossed the car keys to Booth, who caught them in one hand, "just don't get it blown up or something."

********

Soon Booth was outside of the eight story complex. Getting out of the car, he looked around for signs of Brennan or Arkay, when he noticed dim lights on the fourth floor. He started towards the building, running as fast as he could. When he got inside, he drew his gun and slowly looked around. The interior was a mess. Loose wires and random debris was everywhere. A flight of stares stood freely with no banister and Booth cautiously ventured up to the fourth floor. All doors in the building had been removed, making it easy to see the light on in what once was an apartment at the other end of the hall as the stairs. He silently moved down the hall to that apartment on the left and peaked around the corner, just enough to see Brennen in the back corner of the room with her hands bound under her knees and a gag in her mouth. It seemed she was just coming to. She happened to look to the door and her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the man who had died before her eyes. He gave her a comforting smile and went back behind the door frame. Taking a deep breath, he turned the corner with his gun drawn, instantly aiming it at Arkay, who was wiring a bomb in the opposite corner of the room as Brennan.

"Randall Arkay, you're under arrest for a hell of a lot of things that I don't feel like naming off, so stand up and put your hands on your head." he ordered.

Arkay chuckled, not doing as he was told. In one motion, he was standing with a gun pointed at Booth.

"Drop it, Arkay!" shouted brave agent.

"Or what? You'll shoot me?" he flailed his arms in emphasis, "Whether you kill me or just arrest me, I'm dead!"

He stared at Booth for a moment, then turned to look at Brennan, "So I might as well take her with me." in one quick motion he moved his aim to her.

BAM!

Arkay dropped to the floor with a bullet in his temple. Booth put his gun away and walked over to Temperance where he knelt down in front of her and took the gag out of her mouth.

"Are you okay, Bones?" he asked, releasing the knot that bound her hands.

Without a word she threw her arms around his neck.

"Whoa, okay. It's okay." he said and put his arms around her waist, pulling her into him tightly to comfort her, "I'm here, just like I promised."

********

"Thank you for letting me stay here tonight." Brennan said as she sat down on Booth's couch.

"I couldn't let you stay at your place, I broke the door down, it isn't safe." he smiled, entering the room from the kitchen with two beers in his hands.

He sat next to her and gave her one of the bottles.

"I'm sorry, Booth."

"Sorry for what?"

"Sorry that you nearly died because of me." she looked at him with pain in her eyes.

"Bones, it's not your fault." he said softly.

"The only reason Arkay put a bomb in your car was to get to me. You knew there was a bomb in the Jeffersonian, but instead of evacuating, you stayed to get me out." mournfully looking at him, her eyes became wet with a tear in each corner, "With all of the times you could have died saving me, you still come. Why?"

He leaned in towards her, his face now two inches from hers, and stared into her blue eyes with a gentle seriousness, "I will always come for you."

* * *

**The End**

Thank you so much for reading my first Bones fic! I hope you enjoied reading it as much as I enjoied writing it! Reviews make me jump up and down with a big goofy smile like a giddy school-girl!!!


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